So Many Trees

We are working on taking down a third tree in our yard. The first one was rotted and dead. The second was growing all around power lines. This third tree is about 30 feet tall and two feet from the house foundation.    

Wingin’ It

I can’t think of a time in my life when I didn’t thoroughly plan something out. I always carefully prepare every detail. 

Summer at home with the boys is no different...until this year. I just didn’t have a drop of motivation to prepare...and oddly enough it wasn’t bothering me a bit. I figured maybe it would bother me when the last day of school was finally over and we were all at home, but nope. Still didn’t bother me. 

I don’t want to drop them off anywhere like camps or classes with strangers as teachers. I didn’t plan vacation because we bought a house. I’m not buying a membership to the pool because it’s too much work to take little kids to the pool. I didn’t plan paydates because I just didn’t feel like it. 

I just planned on some Pinterest activities and our regular fun around home. 

Costco had quick fill water balloons, so we are rationing those over the summer. 





G&G Wesolowski shared their backyard full of fun with us when we stopped for a visit. We got a tour of his workshop too...smells just like my grandpa’s shop used to!

We set up all the water fun. 

The boys made a library. 



And we were gifted a new-to-us LEGO table! It was delivered on the day we realized our air conditioner wasn’t working...

Preschool Goodbyes

We said goodbye to Lewis’ “real” school, as he called it. He wanted to write a story for his teacher. 

She loved it and laughed a lot. I’ll miss her too...she is so good at knowing each child as an individual and loving their details. It’s fun to see someone love your kid that much. 

The kids wanted to hear her story from Lewis at the picnic. 



I’m looking forward to this guy having a turn at this preschool!

Thanks for a great two years, ladies!

Summer Kickoff

Our school has been kicking off summer in a really fun way the last few years. Smoothies, popcorn, and a movie shown on the side of the school. 

Lewis spent his own dollar on a smoothie. He was SO excited!

Three trash bags full of popcorn serves a LOT of people. I helped fill the bags and man, we sat there a long time. 

The weather was perfect and they boys had a blast. We stayed up way too late...just the way summer nights should be (you know, sometimes 😉). 

Fun!

Elias tells us when he likes something by saying “Fun!” the entire time we are doing whatever it is we are doing. It makes us all smile. Some of his current favorite fun includes:

Reading his mower book while listening to Never Enough from The Greatest Showman. These things must be done together...if you are reading the book you must turn on the song, and if the song comes on then you must find your book! He requests the song every time we drive...”Mommy! Neber Neber Me!!!”

A trip to the $1 Tree was literally my only effort to be ready for summer. I’ve never had less motivation to be prepared for anything than summer 2018. We’re winging it, apparently. Elias made himself an office while we wandered aimlessly shopped. 

Dry beans can be expensive when you want a whole tub to play in, but thank you $1 Tree for being you. All three boys love this activity. 

We had a family movie afternoon and I spent 10 min picking apart the corn kernels for him. He was so excited to be included in the snack because it’s fun!

Chain saws are still his favorite. 

I recently realized the fireplace (that we will never use) is metal. He loves sticking the Magnatiles to it. 

He hates pirates. They scare him. This is how he tells me about pirates along with a growl “Ahrrrrrr”. It’s fun for me. :)

Finally!

We are SO glad winter is over and we can be together again!

Last Days at Home

Lewis and I have enjoyed our last few weeks of him being home after preschool. We had a great routine that worked well for us both. I’ll miss his company this fall in the afternoons. 

Every day we go home for lunch, then Elias lays down for a nap. Lewis and I sometimes have dessert together, and then he builds a nest for quiet time he fills it with 5 toys/books/things to do and spends 45 min to an hour happy as a clam. I have quiet time on the couch and drink my coffee with no one bumping it out of my hand. 

Some days instead of a nest he plays in the kitchen with dry rice, beans, kinetic sand, or playdoh. 

Some days he disappears into the playroom and pulls out all kinds of activities on his own. He’s really quite awesome at quiet time. 



The other day he had 15 minutes left so I told him to read some books in the easy chair. He decided my book about the preschool years was a good choice and “read” it for 15 minutes straight. It made me laugh!